Finding Me
by altarenelcielo
Summary: Willow/Oz Fic: Tara has become Willow's good friend, but she's hiding something. What is it?
1. Chapter 1

Title: Finding Me  
  
Author: Mana - Anislayerx@aol.com  
  
Summary:  Tara has become Willow's good friend, but she's hiding something.  
  
What is it?  
  
Rating: PG, may get higher, I don't know.  
  
Feedback:  I'm just shooting out fic lately huh?  I hope I'll be able to finish this one, since its not a song-story.  So, I need feedback, and make sure I don't get lazy and never finish this.  That's what you guys are for.  
  
;)  
  
Disclaimer: Willow and Oz belong to Joss, and each other, forever.  The title of this story is owed to the awesome band Vertical Horizon.  And after you read this story, then read the lyrics, it'll make sense to you.  
  
Dedication:  TO THE WONDERFUL WILLOW AND OZ.  MAY YOU FIND EACH OTHER ONCE AGAIN.  
  
Distribution:  OZMIA, go ahead.  Anyone else, ask first.  
  
*~Part 1~*  
  
"So, I'll... I'll see you tomorrow?"  
  
Willow smiled.  "Of course.  We still have a lot of things we can still do with the new spell book you found."  
  
Tara nodded and opened the door letting Willow out of her room.  As Willow walked down the hall, she watched her and slowly slid the door shut.  Tara leaned back against the door, closed her eyes, and slid to the floor.  
  
She looked around her room.  "When am I going to be able to tell her?"  
  
She got up and opened her desk drawer and took out the one of two items she had from her childhood.  The other item was a rose quartz that Willow and she had been using lately for different spells.  But this item was different, this item contained her whole soul, and Willow could never see it.  Not yet anyway, the time wasn't right.  
  
Tara stared at the faded photograph.  "I miss you," she whispered.  "I need your courage.  I need your help.  I can't do this."  She closed her eyes, and a single tear came streaming down her face.  
  
******  
  
When she finally fell asleep she found herself dreaming.  Except this wasn't one of one of her usual dreams she could control.  This was like a nightmare.  Faces were zooming in on her with voices she recognized, but the faces were distorted.  
  
She cried into the darkness.  "Leave me alone!  I can't help you!"  
  
"Then you'll die."  Echoed throughout the darkness.  
  
"I don't care anymore."  
  
"But you promised."  Echoed in her head again.  Then the voice changed. "Honey, I know you're scared.  But you know I'm counting on you.  I need you to help me."  
  
Tara cried and lay in the person's lap.  "I'm not strong enough.  I'm not as strong as you."  
  
The person stroked her head softly.  "You are, and you have to be.  You are a part of me."  
  
******  
  
Tara awoke from her dream and sat straight up.  She slowly looked toward the glowing rose quartz on her desk.  She knew what she had to do. 


	2. Chapter 2

~Part 2~  
  
Tara finished making her bed, and noticed something on the floor.  It was her photograph.  Sometime during the night the photograph and a spell book had fallen off her desk.  Tara picked up the photograph, and put the spell book on top of it on her desk.  Then, she heard a knock on the door.  Forgetting about the photograph and book she went to answer the door.  
  
Tara opened the door and was surprised to see Willow.  She looked at her watch.  "You're early.  I... I mean, not that I mind."  
  
"Yeah.  I didn't have anything else to do.  So, I thought.  Why not go a little early."  
  
Tara let Willow in and motioned to the book on her desk.  "There's the book, and the rose quartz.  I'll be right back."  Tara hurried to the bathroom, and Willow got to work.  
  
Willow sat on the bed and took the rose quartz in her hand.  She could sense there was a lot of power in it, but they still hadn't figure out how to use the crystal for anything.  She stood up and looked down at the spell book and noticed something.  It was a picture of... Oz!  Why would Tara have a picture of Oz?  Then she noticed something else.  Oz was smiling, and in his arms was Tara.  What was going on?  
  
"So, are you ready to start?"  Willow slowly looked up and stared hard at Tara.  "What?"  Willow looked back down at the picture and Tara noticed what she was staring at.  No, this couldn't be happening yet.  
  
Willow noticed the look on Tara's face that she had been found out.  Willow grabbed her jacket and ran to the door with the rose quartz still in her hand and yanked it open.  But Tara was close behind and grabbed Willow's arm pulling her back inside, and slammed the door shut.  Then, she locked it.  The rose quartz glowed.  
  
******  
  
*Far Away*  
  
Oz was restless.  He hadn't gotten much sleep the last three nights because of his wolf condition.  He thought he could get some sleep tonight, but he was wrong.  He was dreaming about Willow just as he had done many other nights.  He was dreaming about her smell, the feel of her in his arms, and many other things.  But somehow this was different.  Willow was afraid, and it was making him afraid, and Oz didn't like it.  The dream felt too real for comfort.  Then he saw Willow very visibly, in her dorm room.  She was with someone Oz didn't recognize.  A blond.  The blond was kissing Willow.  Then he could feel Willow growing weaker.  
  
Oz woke up breathing heavily.  He wiped his eyes, and looked outside.  The sun hadn't risen yet.  He'd never had a prophetic dream before.  But this dream felt too real.  Oz jumped into the driver's seat and started the engine.  He was going home.  He just hoped it wasn't too late. 


	3. Chapter 3

~*Part 3*~  
  
Willow and Tara stared at the glowing crystal which had been calm just a few minutes ago.  In the back of her mind Willow knew it had something to do with her and Tara holding the crystal together with all their combined emotion.  They both watched, entranced as the glowing got brighter, and the crystal started to heat up.  Willow instantly dropped the crystal as it burned her hand.  The rose quartz landed on the ground with a thunk, and Tara let go of Willow's arm.  
  
Willow instantly backed up to the opposite side of the room from the door and Tara.  "Willow, I can explain this."  Willow just stared with no reaction.  "This picture, uh...  It was taken last year.  Oz and I...  We knew each other.  We were friends, nothing else."  There was more than friendship in the picture.  Willow didn't believe one word, and Tara knew she didn't.  "Okay.  You're right that's a lie.  I..."  
  
Willow cut her off.  "Tara let me go."  
  
Tara looked into her eyes and realized that if she said anything else, it would only make the problem worse.  She needed Willow to trust her if she was going to do what she came to do.  Tara unlocked the door and stepped aside.  Willow hurried out of the room as fast as she could.  
  
Tara sighed.  Everything was going wrong so far.  Except one thing.  Thank the Goddess she didn't see what was on the other half of the photograph.  The spell book had covered the truth, for now.  
  
******  
  
*Later That Night*  
  
Willow turned in her bed.  She had been trying to fall asleep for the last half hour, but couldn't.  For the last hour she had felt really sick, like she had the flu.  She just needed some rest she convinced herself.  
  
Out of the corner of her mind she realized someone was knocking on the door.  Her first thought was Oz.  But then she remembered Oz was gone.  
  
"I'm coming."  She said weakly and she slowly walked to answer the door.  When she answered, she was surprised to see who was there.  "Tara?"  
  
Tara pushed by.  "Willow I need your help."  
  
Willow barely heard her, and responded a little while later.  "Tara what are you doing here?"  She asked as she rubbed her head and closed the door.  
  
Tara stopped.  "Willow, are you okay?"  
  
"I'm... I'm okay.  I'm not feeling well."  
  
A look of shock went across Tara's face.  "What DO you feel?"  
  
"I don't know.  Weak, like I have the flu, and a stomach ache.  Why?"  
  
"Willow, I can help you."  
  
"What?  Tara what's going on."  Willow was confused.  
  
"I can't explain.  Just let me..."  
  
"Tara.  No."  Willow started feeling a little better.  "I'm not sure what happened today, but I don't know if I trust you anymore.  I think you should leave."  
  
"I'm sorry Willow.  I can't."  
  
Tara put her hands in the air, and started chanting.  
  
Goddess romano Fortuna, invito il thee per contribuire a regolarsi che cosa è errato. Dalla vostra saggezza nel destino, prego per aiutare il salice ad essere forte.  
  
Suddenly Willow couldn't feel the ground beneath her feet, as she fell to her knees.  All she was focused on was Tara slowly coming towards her.  Tara was moving her lips towards her.  They both didn't notice the pounding on the door, they were so focused on each other.  
  
"Willow!"  Oz broke through the door, and realized what was going on.  He thought for a split second on making sure she was really in danger, before he broke in.  But decided it was too risky.  He grabbed Willow by the arm pulled her up and they backed up to the wall.  She laid against his chest.  Then, she broke out of the spell.  She then realized who she was looking at.  
  
"Oz?"  She whispered with love, and a lot of emotion.  
  
From across the room Tara realized it too.  "O - oz?"  She asked sounding like she knew him.  
  
"Do I know you?"  Oz wondered aloud.  All of a sudden Willow collapsed in Oz's arms and cried in pain.  Oz lowered her to the ground.  "Willow?  Willow?"  
  
Willow didn't reply as she stared feverishly past him. 


	4. Chapter 4

~*Part 4*~  
  
"Willow?"  Oz got louder.  "Please answer me."  Oz quickly looked at Tara who was still staring in shock at them.  "What did you do?!"  
  
"I...  I didn't do anything I swear."  
  
"Do you know what's happening?  Who are you?"  
  
"I..."  
  
Then a voice broke through the confusion.  "Oz?"  Oz looked down with love.  "Oz.  It is you."  Willow smiled and started to get up to hug him.  
  
"No, you need to lie down."  Oz started to push her back down.  
  
"I'm fine."  Willow wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder.  "I've dreamed of this day.  I missed you."  She whispered.  
  
Oz wrapped his arms tightly around her.  "I missed you so much."  His voice broke.  "I'm so sorry."  Now that he was in her arms all his emotions of the past months came loose.  He backed up and looked into her eyes.  "How are you feeling?"  
  
"I've been better."  She didn't taker her eyes off him.  
  
"What's wrong?"  Oz asked worriedly.  
  
"I don't know.  I was sick earlier.  Then..."  Willow gasped in pain again.  
  
Oz looked around for any cause or help to Willow, but found nothing.  He was helpless.  
  
Tara suddenly pushed Oz aside.  "Let me try."  She looked up, closed her eyes, and put her hands on Willow.  Willow could suddenly feel heat and pressure, then the pain fading.  
  
Willow sat up then looked at herself and then Tara.  "Its gone."  
  
"For... For the moment."  Tara responded warily.  "I... I don't know what's happening... But I may be able to help."  
  
Oz asked the question on both his and Willow's minds.  "Who are you?"  
  
Tara stared at both of them next to each other.  "I... I..."  She stammered, then took a deep breath.  "I'm... I'm..."  She paused again.  "I'm your daughter..."  She said quickly. 


	5. Chapter 5

~*Part 5*~  
  
"My... my daughter?"  Willow asked in wonder.  
  
Tara nodded.  "Both of you."  She smiled.  
  
"But how?"  
  
"This rose quartz we've been using."  She took it out of her pocket.  "Rose  
  
quartz is used for love...  But you already knew that..."  She paused.  "And  
  
quartz is used for time.  You know?  Like in watches."  
  
Willow smiled as she understood.  "You used my love for you in the rose  
  
quartz to travel back in time?"  Tara nodded.  "But why?"  
  
Her face became serious.  "To help you."  
  
Oz had been quiet the whole time, and staring at the opposite wall.  He  
  
suddenly looked up.  "From what?"  
  
"I'm not sure.  As a safety mechanism when time traveling, nature removes all  
  
memories that aren't important.  But I do know I came back to save Willow,  
  
but I don't know from what."  
  
Oz took this new information in.  "So, you're saying nature doesn't think  
  
KNOWING what is happening to Willow is important?!"  Tara was shocked.  She'd  
  
never heard her dad yell at her like that.  
  
"Oz, its not her fault!"  Willow reminded him.  
  
Oz realized what he'd done.  "I'm sorry... This is just a lot to think about  
  
in one day."  He rubbed his eyes.  "I'm on edge."  
  
Tara nodded.  "Its okay."  She stood up.  "I have to go now.  Besides, you  
  
two need some time to yourselves.  I'll continue trying to figure out what is  
  
going on."  She left and closed the door.  
  
Oz stood up.  "So... Its..."  
  
Willow interrupted.  "Don't.  Oz I missed you, and yes I still love you.  But  
  
you took yourself completely out of my life, and I was left with only  
  
memories and pictures.  And it hurt, Oz.  I missed you every second.  And I  
  
don't know where we stand anymore.  And until I figure out where that is, I  
  
can't be around you, wanting you with me."  
  
Oz nodded understanding.  "If you need me.  You know where I am."  He left  
  
and the door slowly closed shut.  
  
Willow collapsed on her bed and cried.  
  
******  
  
Oz walked slowly along the forest next to the college campus and back to his  
  
van.  He was lost in his thoughts and didn't realize at first that somebody  
  
was following him.  He stopped and heard footsteps all around.  He realized  
  
he didn't have a stake or any other defense.  He would have to make a run for  
  
his van.  Oz broke into a run for his life, hoping he would make it.  
  
Suddenly he was surrounded on all sides.  
  
"Freeze!"  Someone yelled out, and all guns were focused on him.  
  
Oz lifted his hands up.  "I'm not who you want."  
  
One man fired his taser and Oz flew backwards onto the ground.  He shook as the  
  
electricity from the taser dissipated in his body, and he was unconscious.  
  
"Hostile captured." 


	6. Chapter 6

THIS PART IS RATED R FOR SEX  
  
~*Part 6*~  
  
Oz smiled as he pinned Willow down on the sand.  In the darkness of the evening, the only sound was the crashing of the waves on the shore.  
  
The scene shifted to Willow's room, two days before graduation.  
  
"Panic is a thing people can share in times of crisis. And everything's really scary now, you know, and I don't know what's gonna happen. And there's all sorts of things that you're supposed to get to do after high school, and I was really looking forward to doing them, and now we're probably just gonna die..."  
  
Oz stopped listening and realized what it would be like if one of them died.  All of a sudden he felt empty.  If there was any chance...  He couldn't risk never showing her his complete love.  She deserved that.  'Till death do us part.'  In one quick movement he leaned forward and kissed her slowly.  
  
She closed her eyes.  "What are you doing?"  
  
Oz told her the first answer that came to his head.  "Panicking."  
  
The scene shifted again to four days before he left.  
  
Oz pushed the door to his room open with his back as his hands roamed all over Willow.  They're kissing got more and more passionate.  He quickly slammed the door shut.  Thank god the guys were at some party.  
  
Oz quickly took his shirt and pants off as Willow laid down on the bed and took off all her clothes from the waist down.  He threw the laundry from the bed to the floor then he positioned himself over Willow as they continued kissing.  
  
Oz tried to take Willow's shirt off, but she stopped him.  She smiled and pushed him over, then she got on top.  She quickly pulled her shirt and bra off, and pulled his boxers down, as he got a condom out of the drawer and put it on.  
  
They continued kissing, then she slowly lowered him into her.  She moved up and down, then quickened the pace, going stronger and stronger.  Oz moved with her, and suddenly all her muscles tightened and she shook with pleasure.  She gasped his name, and she could feel him shake with her as he grabbed her tightly keeping her with him.  
  
She slowly got off and laid next to him.  She shivered.  Oz grabbed a yellow shirt from the floor, and she put it on.  She turned around, and Oz wrapped his arms around her.  Holding her close.  
  
As Oz started to awake he realized that was the last time they had made love, and the most important.  Oz started to become more awake as voices echoed in his head.  
  
"Oz don't you love me?"  
  
"My whole life, I've never loved anything else."  He kissed her on the forehead.  Then he was gone.  
  
Oz slowly awoke to a piercing pain in his arm.  He tried pulling away from the source of the burning in his blood.  He struggled and thrashed around trying to stop it.  
  
A man shouted in his subconscious.  "Stop him!"  
  
Suddenly something was put over his face and he began to fall back to sleepless hell.  Just before he felt pain that he only felt on the three nights of the full moon.  It was endless, and he screamed in pain.  
  
Somewhere else, in a dorm room, Willow also screamed as she grabbed her stomach and fell to the floor. 


	7. Chapter 7

~*Part 7*~  
  
Tara jumped awake from sleeping on her desk.  Her heart pounded.  She rubbed her eyes.  She had been up all night researching and fell asleep.  All she had was a healing spell that might or might not work.  But it was worth a try.  The spell required someone close to the intended recipient.  She figured she was the one in mind.  The spell would also divulge the problem if unknown.  
  
Tara left in search of Willow and Oz.  Goddess she hoped this worked.  She was lost in her thoughts when she bumped into someone coming from Willow's room.  
  
"Buffy?  What's wrong?"  She asked noticing Buffy's face.  
  
"Its Willow.  She is in the hospital.  The ambulance just took her away."  Buffy explained as she continued walking.  
  
"Where's Oz?  He wasn't there?"  
  
Buffy stopped and Tara noticed she had no clue he was even back.  "He came back last night.  I left them alone and went home."  
  
Buffy continued walking.  "If he hurt her..."  
  
Tara grabbed Buffy by the arm.  "I don't know where he is, but Oz would never hurt Willow."  
  
Buffy pulled away from Tara's grasp, and continued walking out the door.  "He's done it before."  
  
Tara didn't know what to say.  "I'm coming with you."  
  
******  
  
Oz slowly awoke with a dull pain in his head.  He felt oddly weak and didn't know where he was.  He was in some kind of white room.  He sat up to take in his surroundings, and started to stand.  
  
"I wouldn't do that if I where you."  The voice sounded oddly familiar.  Oz turned around.  Then his capturer noticed the same thing.  "Oz?"  
  
"Riley?"  Then, he noticed the army uniform Riley was wearing.  "What's going on?  Where am I?"  
  
"You're in a containment room, for demons, monsters...  You're a werewolf, and dangerous.  So we have to keep you here."  
  
"No, its okay.  I lock myself up on the full moon nights.  I'm not a danger."  Oz thought to Willow.  "In terms of attacks...  You can let me go."  
  
"I'm sorry Oz.  I can't do that." 


	8. Chapter 8

~*Part 8*~  
  
Oz thought Riley would help him.  What was he going to do now?  
  
Riley looked directly at Oz.  "So.  I bet you want to see Willow again?"  
  
Oz nodded.  
  
"She misses you.  She's been watching and waiting for you.  Always watching."  
  
Oz slowly looked Riley in the eyes.  He swore he could see him blink.  Riley's eyes wandered, and Oz noticed something gray out of the corner of his eye.  Of course, a video camera.  
  
Oz understood.  "I'm sorry I couldn't have been there.  But I'm here now.  So, how do I get her to stop looking?"  
  
"If she can't find you...  She can't see you."  
  
The door behind Riley opened unexpectedly, and a doctor followed by two guards came inside the room.  The doctor had a needle filled with anesthetic, and the guards had taser guns.  
  
The doctor spoke.  "Hold him down."  
  
The guards rushed forward and held him down on his stomach, as the doctor came from behind.  
  
******  
  
Tara and Buffy sat in the cold waiting room chairs of the hospital.  They were waiting for something on Willow's condition.  
  
A doctor came into the room, and Buffy was instantly alert.  "Ms. Summers?"  Buffy stood up and they shook hands.  The doctor turned to Tara.  "Ms..?"  
  
"Tara... Tara Smith."  
  
Buffy continued on.  "How is Willow?"  They all sat down except the doctor who remained standing.  
  
"We ran some tests, and we don't know what is making her sick.  We do know she is slowly losing using the energy to live.  She's dying.  I'm sorry.  We're going to continue to run different tests, but I don't think she has much longer.  I suggest you call family, and friends."  
  
"Can we see her?"  Tara asked.  
  
The doctor nodded.  "In about twenty minutes, a nurse will come out and show you to her room."  
  
Buffy sat in silence staring out the window.  
  
"Buffy?"  She slowly turned and acknowledged Tara's presence.  "Do you have a phone number I can use to try and get a hold of Oz?  Where he lives...lived?"  
  
Buffy slowly nodded.  "555-9466"  
  
Tara smiled.  "Thanks.  I promise, Willow will be fine."  
  
Tara went over to the pay phone in the hall, and dialed the number.  A groggy voice picked up the phone.  
  
"Hello?"  Tara recognized her dad's best friend Devon as the voice.  She smiled, and realized she hadn't seen him in a while.  
  
"Hi, this is Tara.  May I speak to Oz?"  
  
"Is this a joke?  I haven't seen Oz in five months.  He doesn't live here anymore."  
  
"I know.  He's back in town.  I thought might have gone home.  So, you haven't seen him?"  
  
"No."  
  
Where could he be?  "Okay.  Well, can you give him a message if you do see him?  Tell him that Willow is at Sunnydale Hospital, 3rd floor."  
  
"Is she okay?"  
  
"I don't think so, Devon.  But I'm going to do whatever I can.  Thanks, but I have to go.  Give Oz my message."  She hung up.  
  
Devon sat down on the couch.  Oz was back in town?  Wait, how did she know my name?  Suddenly there was a knock at the door.  Devon opened it, and Oz ran in and slammed the door shut.  
  
"You are back..."  
  
Oz just went back to the door, and looked outside to make sure no one was following him.  
  
"Oz, someone just called for you.  She said you had to go to Sunnydale Hospital, 3rd floor.  She said her name was Tara, and its about Willow."  
  
Oz turned around at the mention of Willow.  "Is she okay?"  
  
"I don't think so.  How did Tara know my name?"  
  
"I have to go."  He opened the door, stumbled outside, and fell to the floor.  Oz swimmingly tried to stand up, and make it to the car outside.  "They drugged me..."  
  
Devon ran out and helped him up.  "I'm driving."  
  
******  
  
Twenty minutes later Devon and a sleepy Oz arrived at the hospital.  Tara and Buffy were just about to go into Willow's room.  
  
Tara felt the presence of her father, and turned around to welcome him in a hug.  She smiled.  "You made it!  Come inside, you can come in, too, Devon."  
  
Oz looked at Devon's surprised face.  "I'll tell you later."  
  
"I think I may have found a spell to help Willow.  I'm going to go into the astral plane, and try to help her from a different level.  And see what's causing this."  
  
"Are you sure that's not too dangerous?"  Oz questioned.  
  
"You want to come with me?"  Oz nodded, and they sat down on the floor.  "Okay.  Close your eyes, and breathe in and out slowly, focus on Willow.  Only her.  Push aside all other thoughts." 


	9. Chapter 9

~*Part 9*~  
  
Oz and Tara slowly opened their eyes, and found themselves in a black abyss.  Their surroundings twinkled with stars.  They stood up, and looked around.  
  
"Willow?!"  Tara called.  Then she heard moaning.  Oz and Tara ran, but only took one step before their thoughts brought them to Willow and she suddenly appeared in front of them.  
  
Willow was sitting down on blackness, on no visible feature.  Dust was swirling slowly from her, and she appeared to be getting smaller.  Tara closed her eyes and held out her hands  Energy started to accumulate in her hands, and she spoke.  
  
"Magick mend and sickness burn, sickness end; good health return."  The dust stopped, and information from the astral spirits filled her mind.  Willow slowly began to grow back to normal size.  Tara opened her eyes.  "I know what's wrong.  There is a demon feeding off her life energy.  He's attracted to werewolves.  The bigger the werewolf, the more he's attracted, and the less it takes to kill them.  We have to get you out of here."  
  
Willow slowly started to gain consciousness and disappear from the astral plane back to they physical one.  Tara blessed her spirit back to the physical plane.  The demon started to awaken now that Willow was no longer there for him to feed off.  His attention turned to Tara.  
  
"Wait, Tara.  Why is he attracted to Willow?  She's not a werewolf."  Oz realized.  
  
"I know.  Its.."  The demon launched itself in the form of a wolf at Tara.  She grabbed Oz's hand.  "Run!"  They ran together.  "Now count backwards from 10, and at 1 open your eyes."  
  
"10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2..."  The demon landed on Oz's back, and his grip on Tara's hand momentarily slipped.  Tara looked back and only saw Oz, she grabbed his hand again and pulled him to his feet.  "1..."  
  
They opened their eyes to find themselves back in the hospital room.  Willow was just starting to awaken.  "O-oz?"  
  
Oz grabbed her hand, "I'm here."  Everyone smiled relieved to see everything okay.  Oz breathed in and suddenly realized he couldn't.  He gasped for air, and fell backwards onto the tile floor.  
  
Willow screamed his name.  "OZ!"  
  
Devon ran out into the hallway.  "Nurse!  Nurse!"  
  
Two nurses came in and hurriedly checked his pulse and breathing and started CPR.  They checked his pulse again.  
  
The nurses stopped, and one of them looked up at everyone.  Buffy sat next to Willow, who had tears rolling down her face.  Devon was leaning against the wall for support.  And Tara sat down staring at Oz's body on the floor.  "I'm sorry.  He's dead." 


	10. Chapter 10

~*Part 10*~  
  
Devon spoke first.  "He...can't be."  
  
Tara looked at everyone going from one side of the room to the other in slow motion.  Everyone was shocked.  Was this her purpose?  To save her mother, at the price of her father?  No, he had to live.  
  
"His spirit hasn't left, yet."  Tara started to go in a trance.  She would find him.  
  
"What is she doing?"  The nurse asked.  "I'm calling the doctor."  
  
Tara could no longer hear anything.  "Oz? Dad?"  She called out, and the darkness shook with the vibrations of her thoughts.  "Dad?!"  
  
She tried to think of some memories of her father to draw herself to him, but nothing was coming to mind.  Her memories had been erased because of the time travel.  What was she going to do?  Wait, she did have some memories.  Memories of the last two days.  She tried to conjure all of them in one thought, and closed her eyes.  When she opened them she was blinded by a bright light.  There was a figure moving towards it.  She started to panic, but then remembered she had to stay in control.  
  
"Dad! Oz!"  The figure turned at the emotions in the thoughts.  
  
"Tara?"  
  
She nodded.  "Dad come back.  Don't move towards the light."  
  
He looked back at the light.  "Its so peaceful.  Its calling me."  
  
Tara realized the light was winning.  "I'm calling you!  I need you.  You still have things to do in this world."  
  
"The pain is leaving.  I feel...nothing."  
  
"Dad!"  He started walking towards the light again.  
  
******  
  
Willow looked at Oz laying on the floor and Tara frozen in a trance beside him.  "I hope they're okay."  She looked back at Buffy and Devon who were holding the nurses in the corner of the room.  
  
******  
  
She had only one more idea to try.  She sent thoughts of what she had learned from the spell to save Willow.  Reasons he had to stay.  
  
Oz stopped and turned away, and the light vanished.  Tara wrapped him in a hug and held on tight.  She whispered into his ear, knowing what she had to do.  "Tell her.  And Dad, I love you both."  
  
The demon already powerful from feeding on Oz instantly jumped into Tara as Oz woke up in the physical world.  
  
Tara fell dead, and so did the demon.  
  
******  
  
Willow lay on the grass next to the tombstone.  She didn't know how long she'd been laying there crying.  
  
She sat up at the sound of crunching grass behind her.  Her face was wet with tears.  Oz kneeled down next to her slowly, he was still weak from the encounter with the demon.  He wrapped his arm around her.  
  
Willow sniffled.  "I don't understand.  How could I send her back, if I knew she was going to die?"  
  
Oz looked at the tombstone.  "I don't know.  Maybe you didn't know when you sent her back.  Or maybe her death has a different meaning."  He paused and looked into her eyes.  "Or maybe she's still alive."  
  
Willow looked at him questioningly.  "What do you mean?"  
  
"Tara told me when she saved me.  She told me why you had been so sick.  Why the demon attracted to werewolf blood was attracted to you.  You're pregnant."  Willow was astonished, and looked down at her stomach.  "You're six months pregnant."  
  
Willow continued looking at her stomach.  "How?"  
  
"Remember the last time?  Before I left, when the condom ripped?"  Willow nodded.  "The demon was taking the baby and your energy, and that's why it didn't show, but it will now."  
  
Willow looked back at the tombstone.  "This is..."  
  
"I have something else to tell you."  Willow looked back at him.  "Actually, something I've been wanting to ask you for a while now.  Willow, will your marry me?"  
  
Willow smiled and broke into tears.  She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder.  "Yes, of course."  
  
In the air a song played.  
  
I don't think you notice  
  
When you see my face  
  
I guess you're waiting  
  
To spin me around again  
  
Wheels I guess are turning  
  
Somewhere inside my head  
  
I know that this is  
  
Deeper than you get  
  
But you're coming back again  
  
You don't mean to waste my time  
  
But you're coming back so  
  
Chorus  
  
Don't tell me  
  
How to be  
  
'Cause I like some suffering  
  
Don't ask me  
  
What I need  
  
I'm just fine  
  
Here finding me  
  
Me  
  
I've already given  
  
Up on getting through  
  
I never question  
  
Who I'm talking to  
  
Oh so much for nothing  
  
But nothing means so much  
  
I know it's touching  
  
But I've been out of touch  
  
And it's all that I can do  
  
I'm a sight for my sore eyes  
  
But it's all I am so  
  
Chorus  
  
I don't think you notice  
  
When I can't reach out  
  
I guess you're waiting  
  
On somebody else again  
  
Oh so much for talking  
  
It's all been said before  
  
I'm hearing something  
  
but I wish you'd just say more  
  
But you're going off again  
  
When I try to just hold on  
  
But you're going off so  
  
Chorus  
  
   
  
THE END  
  
Finally I'm done!  So, what did you think?  You like? 


End file.
